Nyaal Banyul Welcomes More Than 12,000 Visitors in First Month

Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre has welcomed more than 12,200 attendees across 15 events during its first month of operation, signalling a strong opening for the new regional business events venue.

The newly opened Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre has welcomed more than 12,200 visitors across 15 events during its first month, combining major conferences and business gatherings with community celebrations and exhibitions.

Throughout July, the Geelong venue hosted a varied programme that included the Community Open Day, Geelong Careers Expo, Barwon Health Foundation Gala Ball, Business Managers Victoria Annual Leadership Conference, Associations Forum National Conference and the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative NAIDOC Ball.

The mix of events has provided an early demonstration of the venue’s intended role in the region: serving the local community while attracting national conferences and visitors to Geelong.

A strong first month

Nyaal Banyul General Manager Rick Aylett said the venue had made a strong start since opening and was quickly establishing itself among Australia’s leading regional events venues.

"We're thrilled with how well the first month has gone. We've welcomed more than 12,000 people through the venue and successfully hosted everything from major conferences and gala events to community celebrations and expos," Mr Aylett said.

He added that the response from organisers, delegates and the local community had provided a strong platform for the venue's next phase. "The response from organisers, delegates and the local community has been overwhelmingly positive, and it's a great foundation to build on."

The first month’s programme has also highlighted the dual role Nyaal Banyul is expected to play within the region, bringing together local and national audiences under the same roof. "One week we're welcoming thousands of local residents through the doors, the next we're hosting a national conference. That's exactly what Nyaal Banyul was designed to do," he said.

Beyond the venue itself, the events are also contributing to the wider visitor economy by bringing delegates and event attendees into the city and surrounding region. "These events support local hotels, restaurants, suppliers and businesses, while helping showcase Geelong as a destination for major events.”
 

Connecting conferences with the visitor economy

The early business events activity is already translating into wider visitor flows, according to Tracy Carter, Executive Director of Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine. With national conferences bringing delegates into Geelong, the impact extends beyond the conference centre itself, supporting accommodation, hospitality and cultural experiences across the destination.

“It's been particularly pleasing to welcome delegates for large national conferences who have filled hotel rooms across the city, found their way into hospitality and cultural precincts, and toured further afield before and after their events."

The venue’s opening is also being positioned as a development for the wider regional Victorian business events market. Natalie Suleyman, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, said the successful delivery of the first month’s events had helped establish Nyaal Banyul as a key business events venue for Geelong and regional Victoria. “Nyaal Banyul is already providing a major boost for regional Victoria, drawing strong interest, and helping grow the region’s visitor economy,”

She highlighted the early economic benefits being generated by increased visitation. “This early success has delivered real benefits for local small businesses and workers, with more people staying overnight and spending in local hotels, cafés, restaurants, shops and local suppliers across the region.”

A new platform for Geelong

The venue’s first month therefore provides an early indication of how Nyaal Banyul could contribute to Geelong’s ambitions as a regional events destination — combining community access with the capacity to host larger national conferences and business events.

Christine Couzens MP, Member for Geelong, also highlighted the broader local significance of the new centre, saying: “Nyaal Banyul belongs to the people of Geelong to share with the rest of the world, all delivered by a Labor government.”

With more than 12,200 attendees already passing through its doors in its opening month, Nyaal Banyul now enters its next phase with an established first-event portfolio and an early indication of its potential to connect Geelong’s community, visitor economy and business events sector.
 

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